Restrictions on where sex offenders can be placed within the city of Manitowoc could soon be on the books.
The Public Safety Committee on Wednesday, Nov. 4, approved having city attorney Kathleen McDaniel and Police Chief Tony Dick draft a sex offender placement ordinance for the City Council's consideration.
The city has no such ordinance. All committee members said they agreed an ordinance is necessary, so ironing out the details was all that needed to be done at the meeting.
The committee first had to decide a distance restriction to recommend. Ordinances around the state vary greatly in terms of distance, ranging from 500 feet to 3,500 feet from schools, parks and other places kids congregate.
In an effort to get an ordinance to the council as quickly as possible, Committee Chairman Chris Able suggested using 1,500 feet as a starting point. The council could then alter that distance as it sees fit, he said.
Other committee members wanted to start with a higher threshold, however. Ald. Eric Sitkiewitz said 2,000 feet should be the starting point. Ald. Jason Sladky agreed, making a motion to include that distance in the ordinance. His motion was unanimously approved.
Additional restrictions to be contained within the ordinance include penalties for landlords who knowingly rent to sex offenders within the restricted boundaries, penalties for sex offenders loitering around restricted areas and an appeal process for sex offenders to be placed within the restricted areas.
The council will debate the ordinance at its meeting Nov. 16.
The need for the ordinance arose after convicted sex offender Mark R. Rickert, who is not from Manitowoc, was placed within the city.
Because some of the ordinances around the state are so restrictive, there is no place to put sex offenders in the municipalities from which they came. That means the Wisconsin Department of Health Services has to look elsewhere for placement.
Five sex offenders have been placed in Manitowoc in 2015, including Rickert. Rickert lives at 7420 Calumet Ave. with Rene Rodriguez, another convicted sex offender who was placed in the residence in June. Rickert moved in Nov. 3.
The ordinance will have no affect on sex offenders already placed in the community. ..Source.. by Marcus Nesemann
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